Page 21 of Wicked

A fire is in the corner, and the room is warm.

A woman in her sixties turns as the door I hold creaks. She wipes her hands on her apron and smiles. “Ciao bella. You must-a be-a the stranger?”

I blush, embarrassed, when I notice Grumpy sat with his coffee eyeing me. “Yes, and sorry for just arriving.”

“At least you didn’t come,” the devilish brute says huskily.

What the heck?

Thankfully, the Italian woman doesn’t get it, and she gestures me over fast.

“Come, come, bella, and seat.” She pulls a chair out at the large table, and I smile and sit.

“Raven,” I say, smiling.

“Maria,” she says, beaming radiant energy.

I notice the formal places set, and I see I am forced to sit opposite Grumpy. Dante grins with piercing green eyes over his coffee, then he leans back, observing me.

Maria doesn’t notice as she gets me coffee, but the grumpy hot Italian and I share bad blood or loaded energy.

“There you are,” Maria says as she hands me coffee in a fancy cup and saucer.

“Thanks,” I sigh, my coffee fix in place.

“Now, take-a your time and decide if you would like to stay longer. We have an old Italian hotel, as you can see. The village is small, but it is cute. The postal service is old and broken. Here at villa, we have sit down meals two or three times each-a day. No room service. Laundry at nine in morning, and our old building comes with limited hot water. Bath is good though, no? And the view!”

“Bellissimo, and grazie,” I say, grinning at her before I cold eye the rogue.

Dante stares back, as if angry at himself or the world. Either that or he’s just terminally grumpy.

“Thanks, the place is stunning,” I say, meaning it. Maria smiles and turns to… him.

“It’s good to have you back, Dante. Especially to fix-a up the castle.”

The rogue smiles and sips.

“Grazie. It’s odd being back, but it’s great you, and a few other things, never change.”

As Maria puts her hands on her hips, she inhales. “I still miss-a your grandfather. I still miss Nonno, you know.”

“Si. Si, Maria. Me too,” the rogue says. A rare humane side visible for a flash.

Maria grins at us both, and she raises her brows. “Well, I must clean up, then I’m-a do the shopping,” she says in her best English. “See you both soon, and see you this evening for dinner, Dante.”

“Grazie,” Dante says as he stands.

“Si,” I say, “And thank you.” As Maria leaves, I sit and ignore the grumpy stranger. We sit silently for a while, and we avoid eye contact.

I’m not entirely sure about last night and what actually happened. I then remember my rental car. I’m about to focus on that when the rogue distracts me.

“So, what will the young stranger do today?”

I still have a week of novel writing to do, if I start, and I know my boss wants me to use my vacation time. As long as me being here does not cost the company, she will likely jump on the idea to wipe out my vacation days.

I don’t want to write in busy, distracting Rome, and if I remember correctly, the rental car is now damaged.

I fake smile. “The young lady shall read and write. The duties of the quill.”

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